The Pearl Post placed second in one category at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 67th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards on June 22.
Online Editor-in-Chief Jenny Marquez and sports editor Aidan Lia placed second in “Best Radio or Podcast Reporting” in the Student Media category.
This year’s awards ceremony, hosted at the Millenium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles was dedicated to all journalists who covered the Los Angeles wildfires in January.
Before the event commenced, attendees had the opportunity to socialize with one another, take photos on the red carpet and browse the silent auction room. When it was time for dinner, the doors to the Crystal Ballroom opened and welcomed guests to sit at their assigned tables.
As attendees enjoyed their meal, presenters Robert Kovacik and Pat Harvey began the award ceremony. They started off by announcing the winners in the Student Media categories.
The Pearl Post was named a finalist in, “Best High School Newspaper,” “Best High School News Website” and “Best News Writing, Campus Issues, Layoff/strikes/protests,” but did not win. The Accolade received first place in “Best High School Newspaper,” The Mirror received first place in “Best High School News Website” and the Daily Trojan received first place in “Best News Writing, Campus Issues, Layoff/strikes/protests.”
In addition to the awards presented during the ceremony, this year’s Honorary Awards were presented to several journalists’ contributions to the field of journalism. Los Angeles Times sports journalist Bill Plaschke received The Joseph M. Quinn Award, CNN Chief International Correspondent Clarissa Ward received The Daniel Pearl Award and actress, director, author and humanitarian Kim Fields received The Bill Rosendahl Public Service Award. Additionally, this year ABC7, FOX11, KCAL News/CBS Los Angeles, KTLA, NBC4, Spectrum News 1, Telemundo 52 and Univision 34 received a special award presented by Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Captain Erik Scott for stellar coverage during the 2025 wildfires across Southern California.
Ward, the recipient of the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism, was announced by Dr. Judea Pearl, who is the father of the slain journalist Daniel Pearl, about halfway through the award show. Dr. Pearl expressed his respect and admiration for Ward’s dedication and courage to the work that honors his late son’s legacy. He spoke about Ward’s legacy and her reporting across several front lines around the world such as Syria, Iraq, Israel and Ukraine.
“I want to begin by thanking the LA Press Club and particularly Diana Hunius and Judea Pearl for this really tremendous recognition,” Ward said in a prerecorded message as she wasn’t able to attend the event. “Daniel Pearl was among a cohort of journalists doing the incredibly intrepid work and courageous work that I aspired to do when I started out on this journey as a young journalist.”
